Chapter 16 - What Grant Always Did
Grant read the text without speaking.
Then he handed his phone, wallet, and keys to the detective.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Removing every excuse.”
He looked at the investigator.
“I will sign nothing related to Emily or the baby unless Emily’s own attorney approves it and she asks me to sign.”
The detective nodded.
Grant turned back to me.
“My mother is right about one thing.”
I waited.
“I used to do what I always did. I avoided conflict. I told myself I was keeping everyone together.”
His eyes filled.
“I was really making you absorb the cost.”
The honesty hurt because I had wanted it for years.
“You did.”
“I’m sorry.”
This time, he did not ask whether I forgave him.
The contractions kept building.
Priya checked me again.
“We’re progressing.”
My chest tightened. “How much?”
“Enough that I’m preparing the operating room.”
“C-section?”
“Possibly. The baby is not tolerating every contraction.”
Raymond stepped to my bed.
“I’m here.”
I squeezed his hand.
“I know.”
It was the first time I had said that to him without resistance.
Police arrived with a warrant for Evelyn.
They found her at the Hart family home.
She did not go quietly.
According to the detective, she demanded to call Grant.
Grant declined the call.
Then another bomb landed.
Forensic staff recovered deleted messages from Dr. Pierce’s phone.
One conversation showed Evelyn promising to pay his gambling debts if he completed my psychiatric transfer.
Another showed Nolan asking, “What if the baby comes early?”
Evelyn answered:
That may solve the timing problem.
Priya read it once and turned away.
Grant punched the wall.
I screamed at him.
“Stop!”
He froze.
“Do not make this room about your rage.”
His hands dropped.
“You’re right.”
A nurse rushed in.
“Dr. Shah, prolonged deceleration.”
The room filled with people.
Priya looked at me.
“Emily, we’re delivering now.”
The ceiling blurred as they rolled my bed toward the operating room.
Grant walked beside me until the red line on the floor where family had to stop.
I grabbed his sleeve.
“If anything happens to me—”
“No.”
“Listen.”
He did.
“Our daughter does not go to your mother. Not for one minute. Not under any paper. Not under any excuse.”
His face broke.
May you like
“I swear.”
Then the operating-room doors closed between us.
